In 1054, there was a split between the Latin-speaking Church of the West and the Greek-speaking Churches of the East. This split became known as “The Great Schism”, in which the Pope of Rome in the Patriarch of Constantinople excommunicated each other. To this day, the division remains between the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Like Roman Catholicism, the Eastern Orthodox claims to be “the true Church”, tracing its origin through an unbroken line of apostolic succession. Eastern Orthodox, or Orthodox Catholic Church, is the second largest church in the world. Claiming to be the “Mother Church of Christendom, “ the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic church established by Jesus Christ at the Great Commission. The patriarch of Constantinople is the ecumenical patriarch, but he church has 13 self-governing bodies, including Russian Orthodox and Greek Orthodox.
They believe Jesus is the Son of God, that God is triune, and the Bible is His Word.
However, they are still a Roman Catholic knock off, adhering to many false doctrines adapted from their commonality with Roman Catholicism.
The Orthodox Church denies justification by grace through faith alone, even though the Bible says there’s no other way a person can be saved.
To the one who does not work but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness (Romans 4:5)
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Instead, the Orthodox Church says Christians receive salvation through a process of faith, works and partaking in the Sacraments.
Like the Roman Catholics, the Orthodox Church believes the Sacraments literally become the actual flesh and blood of Christ – a false doctrine known as transubstantiation.
Though the Orthodox Church teaches the Bible is the authoritative Word of God, they believe the Church is equal in authority and no one should interpret the Bible apart from Church tradition.
The Orthodox Church prays for the dead and says it’s possible for salvation to occur after death.
But, the Bible says:
It is appointed for a man to die once and after that comes judgment (Hebrews 9:27)
And if any man’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15)
We have this life only to turn from sin and follow Christ.
It’s possible for a person to attend an Orthodox Church, hear about Jesus and become a Christian. But, if they’re growing in the knowledge of God and His Word, they should not remain under the false teaching of the Eastern Orthodox Church…
…when we understand the text
(This video is by WWUTT. Discovered by Christian Podcast Central and our community — copyright is owned by the publisher, not Christian Podcast Central.)